OpenAI’s New Customization Features for ChatGPT
Imagine being able to personalize your interactions with ChatGPT even further. That’s precisely what OpenAI is aiming for with their latest update, allowing users to customize their ChatGPT experience in a more engaging and tailored way. However, there’s a catch—some users have reported that these new options have mysteriously disappeared, suggesting they might have been released prematurely.
On Thursday, several users on the platform X noticed a revamp in ChatGPT’s custom instructions menu. This fresh update introduces new fields where you can specify your preferred name or nickname, profession, and additional details you’d like ChatGPT to know about you. Moreover, you can choose “traits” for the chatbot to embody, such as being “Chatty,” “Encouraging,” or even adopting a “Gen Z” vibe. The menu encourages users with a friendly reminder: “Introduce yourself to get better, more personalized responses.”
Unfortunately, these exciting options aren’t visible yet for everyone, including this reporter. TechCrunch has reached out to OpenAI for further clarification and will update this article once more information becomes available.
“It’s likely the new menu is more of an aesthetic makeover than a deep technical upgrade.”
{TechCrunch}
The revamped menu appears to be more about improving user experience rather than altering the underlying technology. The previous version used prompt engineering—a technique where user-provided instructions guide the chatbot’s style and tone. Essentially, it prepped the AI with a paragraph of guidelines so that its responses aligned with user preferences. From what we can gather, prompt engineering is still at play but is now presented in a more user-friendly format.
OpenAI has assured users that moderation is applied to these custom instructions to ensure they comply with its terms of use, which likely remains unchanged despite the refreshed personalization settings.
As OpenAI continues to enhance ChatGPT’s capabilities amidst its growing user base—reportedly over 300 million weekly users—the company keeps adding features like live web search and the “Canvas” interface for writing and coding projects. These updates demonstrate OpenAI’s commitment to refining ChatGPT into a tool that’s not only powerful but also increasingly personalized for its users.
